{"id":1943,"date":"2025-09-03T10:25:17","date_gmt":"2025-09-03T07:25:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/turaida-muzejs.lv\/en\/?p=1943"},"modified":"2025-09-03T10:25:17","modified_gmt":"2025-09-03T07:25:17","slug":"einhorn-readings-in-turaida","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/turaida-muzejs.lv\/en\/blog\/2025\/09\/03\/einhorn-readings-in-turaida\/","title":{"rendered":"Einhorn readings in Turaida"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

On September 13, 2025, as part of the European Heritage Days and the event series “500 Years of Latvian Books,” Turaida Museum Reserve invites visitors to explore the culturally and historically highly valuable museum book collection featuring rare books from the 16th to 18th centuries with symbolic significance in Latvian cultural history. This time, the focus will be on the contribution of the pastor and theologian Paul Einhorn (?\u20131655) to Latvian cultural history, as well as valuable and unique ancient prints.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Turaida Museum Reserve collection preserves two very rare works by Paul Einhorn printed in Riga in 1627 and 1636, titled “Wiederlegunge Der Abg\u00f6tterey vnd nichtigen…” and “Reformatio Gentis Letticae in Ducatu Curlandiae..”. Until now, these works have not been translated into Latvian, although their content has been partially included in our cultural history, folklore studies, and the history of the Reformation and church development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paul Einhorn (?\u20131655) received a good theological education and was proficient in classical languages. From 1611 to 1615, he studied in Germany and was matriculated at the University of Rostock. He was a pastor and from 1636 served as the superintendent of Courland. The book on idolatry (Wiederlegunge Der Abg\u00f6tterey..) is dedicated to all Christians as a popular work in which the author briefly describes superstitions \u2014 about lucky days, prophetic birds, incubus, werewolves, spirits, devils, the moon-sick, and extensively criticizes these from a Lutheran perspective. The theologically academic style work “Reformatio gentis..” is a manual for young German pastors and includes observations and negatively evaluated practices by the author \u2014 offerings during the plague, offerings to wolves, logs evenings, dragon cults, spirit banquets or “zemlika”. The books conclude with instructions on how to best conduct interrogations in their congregations and describe the more complex cases in a pastor\u2019s practice. The content of the published works is related to Einhorn’s work as a pastor and superintendent, during which time he acquired a good knowledge of the Latvian language and became familiar with folk customs. When reading and analyzing Einhorn’s works, one must take into account his strict Lutheran conviction and complete intolerance towards other religions, including historical ones \u2014 Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Persian \u2014 with which he compares Latvian beliefs. The author was not familiar with historical works and chronicles about Livonia, so his judgments and contemporary conclusions in this area are curious but of little value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Within the framework of European Heritage Days, an exhibition “Pearls of Printing in the Turaida Museum Reserve Collection” will open in Turaida, showcasing the most outstanding and oldest rare books from the museum reserve collection, published between 1593 and 1821. Special attention will be given to the works of Paul Einhorn, and the exhibition will be enriched by unique rarities from heritage institutions in Latvia that ensure the preservation of very rare Einhorn publications \u2014 the National Library of Latvia and the Library of the National Archives of Latvia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Einhorn Readings<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The museum reserve organizes the Einhorn readings together with Professor Roberts Feldmanis Foundation and the Luther Academy, which is currently preparing a Latvian translation of Paul Einhorn’s work “Historica Lettica” (Tartu, 1649) for publication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Event location and time:<\/strong> Turaida, September 13, 2025, 10:00\u201315:00<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Program<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Opening remarks        Jolanta Bor\u012bte, Director of Turaida Museum Reserve<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dagnija Balti\u0146a, the National Library of Latvia<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reports 10:15\u201312:30<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
    \n
  • Dr. theol. Guntis Kalme, Luther Academy \/ Roberts Feldmanis Foundation \u2014 Paul Einhorn\u2019s Cultural Mission from a Theological-Anthropological Perspective<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Dr. theol. U\u0123is Sildegs, Luther Academy \u2014 Paul Einhorn\u2019s Historia Lettica<\/em> and the History of Paganism Interpretations<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Mag. philol. Aldis P\u016btelis, J\u016brmala Museum \/ Independent Folklore Researcher \u2014 Paul Einhorn and Sources of Latvian Folklore<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Dr. hist. M\u0101r\u012bte Jakov\u013ceva, Latvian National Museum of History \u2014 Paul Einhorn\u2019s Time in the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Dr. hist. Vija Stik\u0101ne, Turaida Museum Reserve \u2014 Unique Ancient Prints in the Turaida Museum Reserve Collection<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    12:30 \u2014 Opening of the Einhorn Book Exhibition; Musical Greetings from the Luther Academy<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    12:30\u201313:00 \u2014 Coffee Break<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Reports 13:00\u201314:15<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
      \n
    • Mag. philol. Ren\u0101te Berga, National Archives of Latvia \/ University of Latvia \u2014 The Works of Paul and Aleksandrs Einhorn Among Other Rarities from the Former Vidzeme Nobility Library<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Dr. hist. Ieva Ose, Turaida Museum Reserve \/ University of Latvia \u2014 “Vade mecum”: A 17th-Century Ancient Print Preserved in the Turaida Museum Reserve and the Origin of Its Illustrations<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Mag. theol. Anete Jen\u010da, Turaida Museum Reserve \u2014 Spiritual and Liturgical Publications in the Turaida Museum Reserve’s Book and Calendar Collection<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      14:15\u201315:00 \u2014 Opportunity to learn about the preservation conditions of a unique collection item: ancient prints preserved in the Turaida Museum Reserve collection. Educational tour of the Turaida Museum Reserve Collection Department, led by Aija Dzene, Chief Curator of the collection<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

      <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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